Category Archives: Stories

CHRIS J FRIES: I’m Alive

Artistic, Odd, Submissions, , , ,

I’ve lived over twelve thousand years.

Or I’ve never lived a day. It’s just a question of semantics.

The humans who built me called me a soulless monstrosity, but I’ve outlasted all of them.

Now, alone on an empty planet, I wait for…
…anything.

But still, I’m alive.

Or not.

Chris Fries is a still-developing writer, slowly working to hone his craft. He is an engineer by vocation, a guitarist by avocation, and a writer by compulsion. So far, his blog has been his primary outlet for his quasi-creative meanderings.

CATHY ULRICH: Math Lesson

Submissions, Top Stories, Touching, , , ,

Today my father is teaching me math.

He takes me down to the beach and shows me a grain of sand.

Start counting.

After I’ve counted for a while, I notice my father’s shadow stretch and begin to disappear.

When are you coming back?

Look, he says, just keep counting.

Cathy Ulrich had to go to the beach once. It was terrible.

ERIC BENSON: Graves

Adventure, Stories, , ,

Ted Henson had just finished up his pitch for his crime thriller masterpiece, Graves, and was waiting to hear the verdict.

A suit walked out and ushered him back in. Another suit started, “We’re sorry, Mr. Henson, but we can’t…”

And then he noticed the gun in Mr. Henson’s hand.

Eric has been writing short stories for around a year.

MICHAEL COOLEN: A Sky Filled With Bats

Adventure, Stories, ,

In a remote African village I watched in wonder as thousands of fruit bats blotted out the moon as they crossed the river to settle in the mango trees to feed and sleep.

Soon I learned that the villagers ate the bats.

Later I learned that the bats transmit Ebola.

Michael Coolen is a writer, poet, composer, pianist, actor, and performance artist who lives in Corvallis, Oregon.

DEAN MARRINER: Cocklaphobia

Amusing, Submissions, , ,

Inside the girl’s head a fear grew larger.

As she stood waiting she wrestled with it. She fought it. It kept returning.

She glanced at her reflection and liked what she saw. It did suit her, after all.

Inside her head the fear of hats faded and she breathed again.

Dean Marriner is a production director at a design company in Newcastle, UK. He spends his spare time drawing pictures on old books and has only recently started writing mini sagas.

Editor’s Note: Cocklaphobia is the commonly accepted name for a “fear of hats”.

DANIEL SLATEN: A Second Chance

Amusing, Artistic, Submissions, ,

The gunshot preceding the bullet ripping through his brain should have been the last sound Gary ever heard.

“Try again,” said a deep, booming voice.

Gary opened his eyes to blinding light. Almost as soon as he realized he was being born again he forgot everything that had come before.

Daniel Slaten writes short stories in small notebooks and on sticky notes.

DAVID WING: Found – Please Take

Stories, ,

A rather short gentleman.

Answers to the name Shamus.

Wears an emerald green suit, a buckled hat and black shoes and won’t stop smoking his pipe in the house.

Keeps on about his pot of gold but refuses to kick in for the groceries.

If he’s yours, please claim — soon.

 David is a writing student, has had work published on a few sites, and seems to be on a supernatural kick at the moment.

LAURENCE SULLIVAN: Accompaniment

Submissions, Touching, ,

As the machine switched off, he knew this was his last chance to say everything he wanted to her.

In the end, he could only muster three words, a melody to accompany her on her final journey, each lyric imbued with pure affection – repeated over and over.

“I love you.”

A Writers’ Centre Norwich-commended writer, Laurence has been published online, in magazines like The Legendary, Story Shack, and Amelia’s Magazine, and in anthologies such as Darker Times Collection and Inspired by My Museum. His website is laurencesullivan.net.

ALEX MARKOVICH: Living Canvas

Artistic, Submissions, , ,

The rain beaded on the windshield and scattered the light from the full moon, mottling her face with dabs of gray like an impressionist painting.

I wanted to make love to her, but how could I? She is a work of art, a masterpiece to be venerated from a distance.

Alex Markovich gets his best story ideas in the middle of the night.

ERIC VIAL-BONACCI: To Love Books, or Not To Love Books

Adventure, Submissions, ,

I was told not to enter this old library. But I knew It was hidden somewhere.

All was quiet and dark. A little wind blew over the abandoned books.

When I ran away with the cursed Necronomicon, I realized it was too late. So I beg of you, deliver me!

Eric Vial-Bonacci is both a French urban explorer and a librarian. He won the award for the best Barjavel science fiction short story and likes the idea of 50-word stories.